Once In Love, Twice in Sorrow
by QueenKit
Summary: Alfred has been unhappy for a long time. His states think it's time to change that, unfortunately there are always bumps along the road before the Happy Ending.
1. Chapter 1: Meeting

**Title: **Once in Love, Twice in Sorrow  
><strong>Words:<strong> 1,950  
><strong>Notes:<strong> This story includes some original characters, just to give you a heads up. I've finally gotten this and a few other stories built in this same AU nearly finished, so I've decided to start posting. I'll probably try to post something from this AU every week if I remember.  
>Rating is T just in case…<br>**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters from Hetalia  
>~~~~<p>

**Chapter 1: Meeting**

It was one in the morning on the first day of January of 2000 and the world had more than made it safely into the new century. The catastrophic doom prophesized at the coming of the end of the 1900s was proven to be the usual bullshit and Alfred was out celebrating just as hard as any of his other citizens. He had managed to slip his leash for the night and escape to Boston. Once he had slipped his leash it was Mass who had directed him to this particular party.

Mass, also known as Maston Jones or Massachusetts, had a particularly good feel for the type of party that their dad would be looking for and so his other 49 brothers and sisters had let him do the selecting and directing, with only minor input. In other words Callie, Flint & parrot Conch, and Neva had all been summarily dismissed after trying to "help" and Rhys & Prue had backed Mass up. (The two were surprisingly able to subdue their larger siblings despite their much smaller size. Alfred attributed the fact to their fierce independence - and in this case also their love of Massachusetts' sports teams.)

And Arthur thought he had it bad with his invisible friends. Try having 50 invisible children all trying to give input on your life, not to mention the times that Tex would run away with his glasses - the only thing he could touch in the real world. Yeah there was a reason he told the other nations his glasses _were_ Texas. He could tell how Tex was doing at any point by the condition he had left them in. Although Tex wasn't nearly as bad as Mass and Nantucket when he was just a baby, thinking about the meeting of nations after that still made him blush in embarrassment.

He shook his head, dismissing for the moment thoughts of his invisible children, and returned his full concentration to the party that was still going at full force. He had finished his third beer and was ready for a fresh one so he wove his way through the other party goers over to the refreshments table. As he reached to grab his beer he spotted the young woman who was standing against the wall. She didn't seem to be having a good time at this party if the look on her face was any indication.

Alfred thought that it was ridiculous that anyone should be left unhappy in the middle of this day for celebration. How could anyone manage to remain unaffected by the joyous atmosphere? So he decided to go talk to her, find out what the deal was, why she was here if she clearly wasn't enjoying herself.

As he walked over to her corner she looked up from the patch of floor she was frowning disapprovingly at and looked at him with the air of one resigned to their fate.

"If you've come over to ask if I want to dance or make a drunken pass with cheesy overused pickup lines you're going to be sorely disappointed. So you can just turn around and go back to dancing and attempting alcohol poisoning with the rest of the half-wits."

Alfred couldn't help himself, he burst out laughing. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I just came over because I was wondering why you were here if you didn't want to be."

"Ah, I'm sorry." She blushed a bit in embarrassment. "My friends dragged me here with them and all I've been hearing since is bad pickup lines and complaints that I'm refusing to dance and drink with them. Unfortunately we all came in one car and I've been appointed the designated driver as the party pooper who isn't going to be smashed by the time they're ready to leave."

"Sounds like they're some pretty rotten friends to me." Alfred said, keen observation skills at work. "Shouldn't friends care about what you want too?"

"It's better than no friends at all, - uhm" She broke off speaking awkwardly, as they both realized that they hadn't even shared names.

"Oh!" Alfred gave a big smile as he held his free hand out for her to shake, "I'm Alfred. Alfred F. Jones."

"I'm Heather. Heather _A_. Fenmore." She grinned at him as she shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Alfred."

Before Alfred realized it, it was three in the morning and he hadn't returned to the rest of the party or even finished his last beer. Instead he had spent an enjoyable time speaking with Heather, telling her what he could about himself while she shared some things about herself, and the accident that had claimed the lives of her parents and left her alone in the world except for a few acquaintances she had from college.

"Hey I have an idea. Why don't we ditch this and take a walk. I could use a break from the noise and some breakfast. I've heard there a little cafe here that's open now."

Heather looked uneasily over to the dance floor where her two friends were still partying away. "I don't know… I can't exactly leave them here. They're too drunk to drive themselves home."

"We won't be away long, the party seems like it's going to be another hour at least, we'd be back before the ever realize you've left."

She hesitated still, even though he could tell she was dying to get out of there.

"It'll be my treat." He cajoled.

"Oh all right, just let me grab my bag." Alfred was fairly certain that she must have mace or something in there. She was pretty smart, but he wasn't planning to pull anything so he didn't have any problem with her carrying it if it meant that they would be able to spend some more time together before he returned to his keepers.

Behind his back he never saw the smirks that his children, the devious matchmakers that they were, were wearing. That was the first time Alfred met Heather Fenmore, but it was not going to be the last.

The next time Alfred met Heather it was February. After having slipped away from his watchers on New Year's they had tightened the watch detail, however as usual Alfred was able to rely on his states to find an opening where he could slip away again for a little while. This time it was Nora Arenda –call me Anney – Jones who insisted her father just had to come to Broadway to see a show.

That his seat was next to Heather was obviously just a lovely coincidence and had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he had hit it off with her a month earlier. And if Alfred just happened to find out that it was her twentieth birthday and took her out to dinner… that was just a bonus.

Truth-be-told Alfred's kids had been keeping an eye on Heather ever since they saw how happy their father had been spending time with her. Lately Alfred had been feeling pretty down and the New Year's Party when he met Heather was the first time that they had seen him truly enjoying himself in over a year. After observing Heather it was obvious to them that it was much the same for her.

They had both connected over that conversation and they were good for each other. After talking to Alfred, Heather had transferred to a different college and been able to make some friends – even if they still weren't very close friends – who actually took the time to care about the things she enjoyed, and after talking to Heather Alfred had seemed a little less burdened by what his government expected of him as a nation for a little while. Alfred had managed to begin to feel more human again and regain his natural good cheer.

The other thing that was plainly obvious to all 50 of Alfred's children was how Alfred missed Heather because he was unable to contact her, and how Heather kept wondering if she would run into Alfred again. After all, the people who had attended the party were primarily local, but she had never seen Alfred before the party and he seemed to vanish again afterwards. He had been a great guy and Mass had heard her wondering why he hadn't at least given her a phone number.

Being invisible to most people was it any wonder that their hobbies included spying and matchmaking as well as just the general trying to cheer up their, in truth rather isolated, father?

It didn't take more than a few months, in which the watchers loosened their net again, before even the sometimes oblivious Alfred realized that his kids had them keep meeting intentionally. It became glaringly obvious when Tex, using the marvelous power of being able to touch the glasses, paid to get their dad set up in a New York Hotel Penthouse not far from where Heather was living.

Despite the fact that they were meddling in his affairs to a disturbing extent, in the end Alfred found he couldn't bring himself to care. All that they were doing was forcing him to take every opportunity to have what he wanted while he could. They wanted him to be happy and Heather made him happier than he had been in years. He could just talk to her about everything, and when she noticed that he was unable to share some things because they were forbidden she didn't get upset.

It was startling. He had started to say something about the last world meeting before he realized that she didn't, couldn't, know what he was and he stopped. He started to make an excuse and she stopped him dead in his tracks.

"It's ok if you can't talk about it Alfred. You've already told me that you've worked for the military and the government and I know they have their secrets. I wouldn't ask you to betray the trust they have in you to keep their secrets." Then she changed the subject onto lighter matters. And despite the fact that he knew she couldn't possibly understand exactly what was going on with Alfred, she did understand the need to secrecy.

It was Eugene, the eternal conspiracy theorist (likely a result of spending too much time with the secretive Neva), who discovered exactly how she understood so well. While Heather's parent's deaths had been declared an accident to the public, the actual cause was unknown. There were rumors, however, that it was tied to their intelligence work for the U.S. Government. It was no wonder then that Heather Fenmore understood. Most of her life had been lived with government secrecy as a part of daily life. Knowing that it was a wonder she was as well adjusted as she was.

Her parents work had moved them across the country more than once and sometimes even moved out of the country for years at a time. It wasn't exactly a life that lent itself to making friends easily and so she had been immersed in her studies with little social life. After high school she had moved onto campus at college and escaped from that life, turning down at least one government offer from a Bureau that seemed to believe that she was destined to follow in her parents' footsteps. And when he looked at it that way Alfred was surprised that she didn't turn him away for his potential to drag her back into that world.

Instead she was able to accept him, secrets and all, and Alfred found he rather liked that.


	2. Chapter 2: Living

**Title: **Once in Love, Twice in Sorrow  
><strong>Words:<strong> 974  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own the characters from Hetalia  
>~~~~<p>

**Chapter 2: Living**

_Nine Years Later _

"ALFRED FUCKING JONES! You get your ass back here or I swear to God I'm going to kill you!"

Alfred snickered as he ran away from his raging girlfriend, easily dodging the empty soda cans and other less-than-deadly projectiles that she was throwing at him. With the election of the newest president Alfred had found himself with more freedom than he had experienced in decades. Oh sure some of his presidents had been nice, and Bill had no problems with Alfred if he wanted to take a girl or two and have a good time, but there was always the problem of what would happen to them after – so he never took advantage of it.

While Alfred F. Jones wasn't allowed to have a public identity, it was impossible for him to have any real relationships. Well, except for one that is. Tony and his kids would have kicked his ass if he wasted all the hard work they went through to get him out of the house. And so for nine years, even after the Secret Service finally discovered where Alfred had been slipping away to, Alfred had been friends with Heather. He was pretty sure the only reason it was allowed was because of who her parents had been, the secret service were currently secure in the fact that the secret had not been compromised and that anything she might guess about Alfred F. Jones, she wouldn't be sharing.

In truth the situation was a bit different. Five years ago Alfred became fed up with keeping secrets from his only friend who wasn't a nation and confessed. Not that she believed him, that is not until he literally pulled a native Hawaiian Hibiscus for her from midair and tucked it over her ear when the secret service weren't watching. Not long after they had become unofficial boyfriend and girlfriend. And now that the government was loosening up on Alfred a little bit they had decided to move in together.

And that was where they were now. They had moved to a quiet town in upstate New York, recommended to him by Anny of course, not far from the Canadian border. This particular perk allowed him to introduce his girlfriend to his brother Matthew, and the Canadian heartily approved of his brother's girlfriend. Not only did she make him happy, she balanced out his tendency to act like an idiot, didn't mind letting Tony live in the basement, and never forgot about Canada or Kumajirou – sending them both presents on Canada Day.

Speaking of said brother, he was currently laughing his ass off on the couch while Alfred ran from his girlfriend. They said "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned", but Matty was pretty sure that in this house the more accurate version would be that "hell hath no fury like a woman whose current novel you've stolen". Especially when it'd the third time you've done it this week.

"Oh that is it Mister!" She declared abandoning the chase, "Tony, grab the video games. He's grounded for a week and you have full control of the X-box and the Wii."

The alien quickly did as he was asked, as he –for one- knew better than to get on the wrong side of the female of the species. Besides whenever he got grounded that meant Tony was allowed to work 24/7 to beat Alfred's high scores. Alfred was understandably betrayed by his BAF (Best Alien Friend).

"Dude! Tony that is so not cool!" He looked over to Matthew for sympathy, "Bro, come'on tell her she can't do this!"

"Sorry, Al. This seems like a fair trade, eh. You hide the books she confiscates the games." Matthew shrugged. "You're the one who decided to get in trouble."

Alfred looked to the last available option for sympathy in the room. "Kumajirou you'll side with me right buddy?"

The little white bear looked up at him with his bright black eyes. "Not supposed to get caught."

"Aw come on! Not you too!"

The little bear looked at him without pity. "S'what you said."

Alfred flopped onto the recliner with a whoosh.

"I think I taught him too well Matty."

"I could have told you that a while ago, eh."

"Seriously Al," said Heather coming to stand in front of his chair with her hands on her hips. "You're such a child. One week without your games isn't going to kill you."

He pouted back at her, "You don't know that. I'm different and special and I could keel over at any time now."

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him unimpressed. "Uh huh, funny you said the same thing two weeks ago and you're still here."

At that Matthew couldn't help but snicker. "Oh yeah, Al, you're really something special, eh."

"I'm wounded!" Alfred exclaimed dramatically, "How could you say things like that to me? You're both too cruel." He placed the back of his right hand on his forehead looking for all the world like some fainting damsel from an old movie. Then he got a wicked smirk on his face.

"Oh no, what are you planning now Alfr-eep!" In a lighting fast movement Alfred leaned forward and grabbed her hand yanking her off balance, so that she landed on top of him on the chair.

"Oh my, Lady Liberty I do declare, you just can't resist my dashing heroicness can you?"

"Oh shut your trap, Freedom." She snarkily replied, smacking him lightly on the chest.

Matthew couldn't help but notice however how despite her tone she smiled and snuggled closer to his brother. Judging from the smug grin on Alfred's face he had gotten exactly what he wanted as well.

"You know you love me."

"God only knows why, but yes I do. I love you, Alfred Freedom Jones."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> sorry if chapters are short, but I tend to end where the scene ends when there's a time skip and I have lots of those.


	3. Chapter 3: Loving

**Words:** 1,299  
><strong>Notes:<strong> I haven't had anyone reading this story specifically to beta it, so if you notice any errors please let me know.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own the characters from Hetalia  
>~~~~<p>

**Chapter 3: Loving**

_Three months later Alfred proposed._

Using his states' skills as lookouts Alfred and Heather dodged the secret service watchers and headed towards the Canadian border, where Matthew was waiting for them. The three of them trooped to a secluded area just barely on the American side of the border and that was where Alfred proposed. He created a diamond out of American coal by using his powers as a nation, the only stone he thought could properly show her just how much she meant to him.

When she said yes and hugged him, Alfred was certain he was the happiest man on the planet, nation or no. Then Matthew pulled out a book so that they could figure out the setting and cut for the diamond, the Canadian would be the one to take the ring size and information to one of the best, and most discrete, jewelers to get the ring made. It would arouse less suspicion than if Alfred were to try to do so himself.

While they were there they also made tentative plans for a New Year's Wedding, commemorating the day that they first met. Matthew volunteered to officiate at the ceremony, something he could do in his official capacity as a nation, and Ludwig and Feliciano were suggested to be witness to the ceremony. When Feliciano had discovered that America had a mortal friend, and a young woman at that, he had made a point of coming to visit, dragging Ludwig with him naturally.

It didn't take long for the two of them to accept "America's new girlfriend" and in Feliciano's case, become good friends with her. Neither the German nor the Italian had any problem with the relationship, in fact Feliciano thought it was terribly romantic. He thought it was quite like his own relationship with Ludwig, which had stayed together despite all odds and some people's wishes to the contrary.

After that first meeting Feliciano and Ludwig made a point of continuing to visit Alfred under the guise of old college friends. Over the course of these visits Ludwig even came to grudgingly admit that America had become more bearable since he had gotten a girlfriend. It was certain that Feliciano wouldn't turn down the invitation to be a part of the wedding, even if it was small, and that Ludwig would come along, if only to make Feliciano happy.

So, with the decisions of who would officiate and witnesses made, the plans were as solid as they could be right then. The rest would depend on when they were all able to meet secretly. The ceremony would have to be quiet and they could not have it legally recognized by the American government, but that would be ok.

Not long after that they contacted Feliciano and Ludwig to discuss their plans. In doing so they discovered that there was a meeting to be held in Italy at that time. At first it seemed like this might disrupt their plans, but after careful consideration they decided it would actually be a blessing to them. The watch on Alfred was actually greatly reduced when he was not in his own country and so it would be simpler to get everyone where they needed to be at the right time.

And that was how it was determined that the location of the ceremony would have to be at Feliciano's house. The meeting meant that Ludwig, Matthew, and Alfred would have a less questionable reason to be in the same country. Which left the only problem to be solved how to get the bride to the right place at that time. It was surprisingly Ludwig who offered up a suggestion.

He suggested that Heather come to visit him in Germany for a while before the wedding. Not only would this leave her closer to her intended destination come January first, it would also allow her the chance to get to know Gilbert. Gilbert was good friends with Matthew – whom she and Alfred often visited - and so it was inevitable that they would end up meeting someday, as he usually showed up at Matthew's house unannounced. It was honestly surprising that it hadn't happened already. Ludwig hoped that this way he would at least be able to exert some control over Gilbert so that his Prussian brother didn't do something that he would regret.

Gilbert, upon finding out that a female friend of Matthew's would be coming to visit, tried to insist that she stay at their house. After all, she didn't speak a word of German and he had _promised _Matthew that he would behave (because otherwise Matthew would kill him – not to mention a certain other someone…), but Ludwig overrode that. He was well aware of how easy it was for his Prussian brother to end up going out drinking with Francis and forget his promises. In which case, it would be a better idea if the temptation of a very Bad Idea was a little farther away. So instead she would be staying at a nice hotel that wasn't far from their home that Ludwig determined had decent locks on the doors. And in case he and Francis tried to get there and cause trouble anyway, she had Ludwig's number.

It was at this point that the plan got a little sketchier. Obviously when Heather prepared to leave Germany, Ludwig would "find out" that she was also heading to Italy to visit with Feliciano. Ludwig, who was obviously surprised to find this out, seeing as Feliciano, conveniently, forgot to mention it when he invited Ludwig to stay at his place during the world meeting, would offer to bring her to Italy with him so that she didn't have to pay for her own transportation. It was surely just the polite thing to do, ensuring his friend got their safely. After all, he knew his way around better than she did.

Then, after her visit with Feliciano, Heather would be returning to the states straight from Italy, while the world meeting continued on for another week. That her visit with Feliciano just happened to coincide with the world meeting when Alfred and Matthew would be there as well was just a coincidence. At least that's what all of them were hoping anyone else would think about it.

On January first, 2010, Alfred F. Jones married Heather A. Fenmore, his girlfriend of five and a half years. The private ceremony was held at Feliciano's house after the Nation's meeting had let out for the day, and Lovino had been conveniently kidnapped by Antonio. Matthew performed the ceremony with Feliciano's blessing – Feliciano was too overwhelmed by the situation to do it himself, even if he had more authority while they were all in Italy.

Matthew's blessing gave their rings the Canadian's invisibility. Unless the rings were pointed out to someone who hadn't attended the ceremony, they couldn't see them. Of course Gilbert, being Gilbert, snuck his way over after the wedding and insisted on being able to see them to confirm their awesomeness for himself. To everyone's immense surprise the Prussian declared the rings awesome, perhaps Gilbert could a bit of a sap at times too. Of course he promptly ensured that his Prussian reputation was intact by cackling and then pulling out a case of beer from nowhere.

Unfortunately his impromptu drinking party was interrupted by Ludwig confiscating the beer after Gilbert drank half of it by himself, and then forcing his brother to eat some of the pasta Feliciano prepared because he had been drinking on an empty stomach.

Then, when all was said and done, Alfred and Heather returned to The States as if nothing had changed.

And after that they lived happily… for a while.


End file.
